Wednesday, June 3, 2009

The VERY busy month of MAY!

The look on my face....Well that is how May has been..... CRAZY! I am holding my ID badge while one of my Hormonally challenged 7th graders snaps my pic. We laugh like this a lot. I enjoy my job very much. Yeah, they are middle schoolers, trying to figure it all out while at the same time, thinking they know it all. BUT, they keep me young and make me laugh. What job do you know that can do that?

May was a blur...Every, and I mean every weekend wa
s packed with something to attend. Which means a few things.
1. The laundry is now taken over and is demanding we either wash it
 or move, so it may keep growing. 
2.Dust bunnies have turned into dust monsters and I think they ate the cat.
3. I still have a full freezer  of meat because we have eaten, birthday, graduation, mothers day and shower food every five days twice! Get that.

4. The most painful.......my knitting is really behind.

I am working on four different projects. This is a beautiful pattern from last summer's  Knit-n- Style. It is really easy pattern work. And moves quickly, unless of course you have a party to attend........





Also I finished one of hubbies socks. Started the second on monday at a waterboard session. I mean, inservice.
Also in the works....The vest for hubby and the cardigan out of the farmhouse yarn. 

If you are in need of a yarn fix, please visit your local yarn shops....This is a hard time of the year for them. They need us...Do you part....BUY YARN from your LYS!!! 

OK, I am off the soap box. Yes I am going to my LYS tomorrow. Really. And I am going to buy something. Really!

 JUNE, You must go SLOWLY and how about some sun? Where are you? Feels more like a fall break, not summer.
I leave in 15 days to go back to the Outer Banks with the fam!!! Can't wait. What will I take? Sock yarn of course. AND.........I am going to try my g*#@ lace again!!! Will send photos with the phone. And let you know how that is going.....

Till the next time I blog....Peace out, keep your needles moving and your yarn shops running..



Sunday, May 17, 2009

A step back in time






20 years ago I made this. It is the softest, yummiest of wools. I knitted it on size 2 needles. There are pearl buttons at the top with french lace around her neck. 

I am, or I have many
WIP and don't feel like showing the half done projects. So I decided to  take
 a trip down memory lane.... You in? Come on...... it will be fun.....

This was a quick knit, soft cotton dress with little panties in the same cotton I made for her during the spring. She was about three months old in this picture. It was a pattern that I could still make today. It is timeless. Also the christening gown could be made today just as it was twenty years ago




This little cardi was made
 when the fun fur yarns
 were brand new to the knitting world. The pattern came from one of my knitting magazines and I think it took one weekend to make.

Man, I was good!!!! Knittin Fool



O, I made her outfit underneath the sweater.  Hey I was a stay at home mom with one kid!!!

First birthday outfit! Tooo cute!!! It had little pieces of polka dot fabric sewn into the yarn.  I remember it being soooo expensive, $8.00 a
 skein! And I was happy I only needed, I think three!!! I made her pants out of the same polka dot fabric. It was adorable! I even made her the barrette in her hair
And this extremely cute, and I cannot find anywhere now, was made in the car on the way to a picnic four hours away. I had it completely done and on her the next day. Well not completely, I lied. I had to go and buy a zipper. It was from, the now out of production, Disney pattern book. And was a breeze to make. I wonder if I can still knit that fast? Little kids are really easy to knit for. Their size alone, makes knitting fast and fun. 

I have many more old time projects, but these were crying out to me....Remember when!!! Wish I could go back to that simpler time. Things were so much easier, so much I would hold on to a little longer. Hug her a little bit more, kiss her goodnight a few times more. Not worry so much about how clean my house is.  O but I digress......
 
I am getting my summer projects together, and one is getting all my pictures in albums. Thus the trip back through memory lane. These pictures are not in albums yet and were easy to scan. A lot of their sweaters I made are in books and tucked away.  I made my son some really cute sweaters. Bright colors and dump trucks to snakes! It was fun times... But now all are tucked away, waiting on the next generation to wear them. 

Have a great day, hold on to those you love, give them an extra hug and let them know you love them very much.
As it is said and so true......Time waits for no one......


Friday, April 24, 2009

Everything old is new again!

Really, this blog would have been updated last week, but SOMEONE, misplaced the camera cord to transfer the pictures.

I have decided to put away
 some heavy projects and pull out the summer ones, that should have been done last summer.
But it does make you feel so good when you finish a big project, like this BORING summer sweater on the left!!! Since the picture, both sleeves are done and the neck is being finished.  This is the yarn that smells like lavender.  You would know that, if you are one of my longtime blog readers.

And also pulled from the archives is this cute cotton vest.  It is on size 6 needles. It to is slow moving. Since some of the work is completed, It doesn't feel so boring.
The yarn is a hand dyed cotton with Cotton Fleece. I love that yarn.  The pattern is from Knitty, called Leftovers. Very nice pattern.



And finally,coming along nicely, the purse for the daughter.

So, from the looks of things, I have the knitting bug back, full force.  Not pictured are a few other UFO's.  My cotton lace cardi.  a vest for the hubby(for Christmas) and a sweater for the nephew.  Yeah just a few things...... I hope your knitting is coming along as good as mine.  Its a real good feeling. The kind that makes you want to put on your shoes and run to the yarn shop and get some more!!! Stash? stash? huh? what stash? For real, I have to use the stash..... But I need to replenish that.......right? 
Peace out! Keep you needles clicking and your stash flow full....  And can somebody shut my motor mouth husband up, while I am blogging!!! GOD! 





Monday, April 6, 2009

Please enjoy the the sandpipers!


Nothin!  I got nothin! I have been trying, but........NOTHIN!!!!!! So please take a moment to enjoy the birds, the warm sand and the ocean.

I have decided to take a stab at LACE (AKA: I HATE MYSELF, Lets FROG, FROG, did I say FROG!) knitting. This is beautiful to look at. The yarn is light and oh so pretty. BUTTTTTT!
Now, I have been knitting for 23 years. I have been teaching knitting for almost as long. 
But, now, my knitting and brain are not on the same planet. My mind cannot stay focused on the the yarn overs, ssk and counting! Somebody help!

I joined the KAL at Bloomin. Yeah that worked.......NOT!  Then I picked up a the magazine "Crafts and Things" for the first time in years, and, OH MY, the projects! One is a lace doily. Well I thought, something smaller, you can handle, butter brain. OH NO! I ripped that sucker at least 5 times.

So with all that said, here I sit.......Its going to snow! It only figures.  With nothing but frustration on my needles. I think I will do some garter stitch, yeah that will work. 
Is it me, or is lace knitting, Satan in the wool?

Peace out, and hopefully this knitter will get her act together and have a project to share next time.

Saturday, March 21, 2009

Please pass a tissue

It all started when one of my lovely students walked up to me and sneezed.  Not just any sneeze, but one that landed on my face!  As I looked at them, ready to cry, I knew, I too would soon look like they did.  
With in 48 hours... yes, you guessed it. 
Lost my voice while talking to Carol at  Carol's Needleworks,on Tuesday. I was having a normal conversation, and then, POW! nothin. NO voice nothing. Needless to say Carol looked at me like I had three eyeballs. SO I quickly got what I needed and headed home. It progressively worsened over the week. I am on the recovery side now. Full of Gatorade and penicillin. 


SO what did I get at Carol's? Some basic washable wool for the cutest little cardigan for young nephew's birthday in May.  
The same nephew that
requested socks last year. I have finished the back since this picture was taken. The pattern comes from Favorite web site for patterns, Knitty.
He said, that he preferred blue to the green and wanted yellow spikes. DONE! I am adding green to the second set of spikes.It looks like so much fun!
The back went quickly. Just straight knitting and raglan sleeve.  They did a seed stitch ribbing, love it!
Now even though I was sick, I did drag myself to the Thursday night Mini Workshops at BLOOMIN!!!
How to read Lace shawl charts. And it was sooo worth it! I really got a hold of how to read those charts.  
I loved my yarn, till I started.  Not so after working the pattern, I decided to not use the it and bought the pink yarn in the top picture. It is a bamboo from Farmhouse. I really am having a love affair with that company.  The bamboo is called Bonnie's and the color is desert bloom. It is so soft and has a light sheen to it.

The cardigan is coming along quickly. I have put it aside to do the Nephews cardigan and the shawl.  But I know I can probably finish it in a weekend. Yes its that fast. 
The yarn is farmhouse also. So, you see the love affair I have. 
My tea and honey are ready. My throat really needs it.  So I am off to sip and knit. Till next blog....Keep knitting!
  



Sunday, March 8, 2009

The Laundry is DONE!!!

What a wonderful feeling! 10 tons of laundry done! No one is allowed to take their clothes off!  My sheets are changed too! Hey, are you one of those freaks who irons their sheets? PLLLLEASSSSSE! 
Good, I knew you were normal. I'm lucky they are completely dry, because I don't remember to put them in the dryer, till I go upstairs and get my jammies on!!
Oh yeah, the quilt is in the dryer. Better check it soon...

The baby sweater is complete. I am going to block it.
It is tight. It's the yarn. I 
have a tiny little bit of the main color left, and a ton of
 the other two.  Going to make the
 cute hat that goes with the pattern. That should take an evening. If there is anything left after that, booties.

This I can't wait to start! I have a goal. Maybe I better not, don't want to disappoint myself.  The pattern, can be bought on Ravelry. Or you can just go here. The picture does not do this cardigan justice. The shop owner's, makes you want to knit this! Oh, who might that be? Michele from Bloomin Yarns!  Her version is beautiful! So much so, I had to get it and make it. 
Also, Bloomin, is doing a shawl KAL. It starts on the 19th. I can't wait! Something new to do as we await spring and its warmth!

This is the yarn I chose for my shawl.  The shawl is from Interweave. 
It is also on Bloomin's blog. I have been in love with this yarn since it hit the shop last year. But never knew what I wanted to knit with it. Well, this shawl is it! 
My friend bought the same yarn in a yummy green. Her fav color. It will be very pretty.

Well, with all that said....I have much knitting to do!

And finally, my one friend showed up at knit nite with a package for me. I was so excited! It was this beautiful angel, with the beautiful charms about life and family on it! I love it! Thanks Chrystal!

Sunday, February 22, 2009

Describe Normal

Would someone explain to me why two normal people, produce a crazy, wild child? I wanted a nice picture of the beautiful flowers MDH surprised me with. No such luck. Oldest daughter thought it was a chance to show her true colors. I guess she is like her mom.....SO says gramma. In any event, the flowers were, rather are, for my birthday Tuesday. Very pretty. Very much a surprise.   




SO, I tried another shot. 
Can you see her. She is hiding. LOL.
Well this is it. This is the best shot I can get of the flowers. And that is that. See if I rush to get her purse done. 


Getting to more serious stuff....My knitting. Slow knitting this week. Don't know why. I even went to Bloomin yarns yesterday...............................                              
and bought.......NOTHING!!!! What is wrong with me! I did like a model, I came home and ordered the pattern. Once I get it I will head back over and get the yarn for it.
Presently I am working on the baby sweater. It is almost at the bottom rib. It is so sweet. I will say this. The yarn is very hard on your hands. Its blue skies colored cotton. The designer has you knit on a 7. It hurts your hands. Well, It hurts my hands.
I do like the final results. It is going to be a cute spring sweater for the baby boy that will be born in April.   


And finally, I ordered this book. I was so excited.  We camp and I knit while we camp! I thought it would be full of cool camping patterns and stuff. Not so. Not so great. I am a little disappointed. Maybe I will write my own.

Hope you have a great week. Get lots of knitting done. Start a new project, or finish one that has been in the UFO pile! It will get you motivated, I promise! Here's to crazy kids and snow days yet to come!